The Cage
by LECandeh
Summary: When Danny is trapped in a cage as Danny Phantom, Valerie shoots him with a gun that makes him answer every question truthfully and do whatever they say. With every student and teacher as witnesses, Danny Phantom is exposed. R & R. D x S
1. Chapter 1

**Candeh**- Hey guys! New story! Huuzzaah? Better summary inside because fan-fiction wont let me type the whole thing. If u don't review on this story I wont continue. ;-p Cause I don't roll like that.

**Summary**- A ghost on campus drill drives all the students and teachers of Casper High cramming into the multi-purpose room, scared and afraid. Conveniently, Danny Fenton transforms into Danny Phantom without being seen. But when the ghost sends Danny flying into the multi-purpose room where everyone is, the viewers stand in shock as they witness a fight of their life. All goes wrong when the ghost deserts Danny in a cage, where he can't get out no matter _what_. The only way he can get out is if he changed back to normal, but then he'd be exposed to everyone in the multi-purpose room. The students and teachers take their advantage of the helpless ghost, and hammer him with questions of their own.

**Chapter 1**

_Alert. _

_Alert._

_Alert. _

_Ghost on campus. _

_This is_** not**_ a drill._

_I repeat. _

_This is _**not** _a drill. _

Screams and shouts of despair escaped from the mouths of the students and teachers of Casper High as they frantically search for a place to hide. They do not calm as the voice on the intercom switches on again.

_Everyone. _

**Immidently **_report to the multi-purpose room _**now**

_If you wish to stay safe, report to the multi-purpose room, _**now**

As everyone drills into the multi-purpose room, a lone soul walked the ground careful to be seen. Danny Fenton searched for a spot of his own to transform into his ghost form and save the day once again.

"I'm going ghost!" Danny whispered. Instantly, his school clothes were replaced by his super-hero uniform, his hair turning snow white, and his eyes a deep shade of green. In a flash, he flied off to look for the ghostly intruder that interrupted the schools daily activities.

"Hello?" Danny said. He grabbed out his thermos in a rush, careful not to miss a moment. "Um.. Anyone there?" She lowered himself to the floor and walked the halls of the empty school. He could still hear chattering from the multi-purpose room and then the doors lock to it. "Great. Alone."

With a thud, Danny was thrown to the floor by a green blast of energy. "Ouch!" He looked up confused to see who shot the ray and gasped. "Walker.."

Walker laughed. "Hello, kid. As you can see I'm not satisfied with the prison your life has become. I've come back for a second helping of revenge."

Danny got up quickly shooting a ray of his own in Walker's direction. "Well, I'm sorry to cut you short, but this really isn't a good time." Walker flew back into the wall and mumbled a curse. Danny smiled to himself as he got out his thermos, but was instantly hit by another ray. Walker laughed.

"Stop. Please. Leave me alone." Danny said, hurt by the blast. "You've already done enough damage. Leave me alone!"

Walker laughed through clenched teeth harder. "Not enough, ghost kid. Not enough. Your life is has to be as much of a prison as it would be in the ghost zone. Time to be expose, phantom."

Danny gasped weakly as he was shot straight into the multi-purpose room. With a thud on the ground, the students and teachers of his high school watched as he lie on the floor in pain.

"Time's up kid. Your life is officially..." in a scream, Walker realized too late that he was already being sucked into the thermos. Walker send a flying green light blast at Danny, knocking him over just before he was sucked completely into the thermos.

Danny panted staring at the confused faces of the viewers. It wasn't long before he realized what was happening. A bolt went through his body as he yelped helplessly. Two second later, he found himself trapped in a cage bolted to the school's floor in the multi-purpose room surrounded by the teachers and kids of his school.

Desperately, he tried going intangible.

"Crap." Danny muttered. It didn't work. He knocked himself against the bars of the cage with no luck, looking like a trapped animal in a petting zoo. "Let me out of here!"

He glanced at Sam and Tucker who exchanged Danny worried looks.

Sam ran up to Danny's cage with her hands spread out across it. "Don't hurt him!"

Dash stepped forward pushing students aside. "And why not, loser?"

Sam's face grimaced. "Because, dumb shit, he's protected us for like, ever. Just leave him alone. If you expose him, we may not get his help anymore."

Valerie pushed her aside and stared at Danny Phantom with an devilish grin. "Don't you ever wonder who he is really? Like... you know." She turned sharply to Danny. "Who are you, ghost?"

Danny stuttered. "I..uh..I .. _Please let me go._"

Dash laughed. "Fat chance. This is a once in a life-time moment.

Danny bashed against the cage bars as hard as he could about fifteen times without stopping. After he'd done it, he stopped panting. Paulina pushed through the crowd with a huge loving smile on her face.

"Ghost boy! You saved me!" Paulina leaped up to his cage and touched the bars, but was shocked. Danny sighed. "I think its only meant for ghosts, Paulina... I mean... whatever your name is.."

Paulina looked confused. "No.. You just said my name."

Kwan pushed up to Danny. "How do u know her!" he demanded.

Danny stuttered. "I don't, Kwan. I mean.. Oh crap."

Mr. Lancer took out a pen and pointed it sharp at Danny. "Explain, ghost."

Soon, the whole room was full of chatter and points at Danny. Tucker ran up and stood by Sam frowning. "Guys! Don't pressure him! Is this how you repay someone for saving you!"

"Yes." Dash said.

Sam clenched her fists, "Well then, you need to up your attitude...or something... because that's not fair! Look at him!" She pointed to Danny in the cage, his face pale, his eyes crackled and frightened. "You're already scaring him! Just leave him alone!"

Mr. Lancer pushed Sam aside. "I think I need a few questions answered, ghost kid."

Danny sputtered. "Mr. Lancer! Oh _shit._ I mean... please."

Tucker whispered to Danny. "You're blowing it with the names, Danny."

Danny glared.

Valerie got out her gun. "Alright ghost kid. You're going to answer our questions like it or not."

Danny backed up in the cage, but fell onto the side bars.

Valerie pushed out her question harshly. "Mine first." Before she asked her question, she shot one of her guns at Danny which made him collapse to the ground, unconscious.

"Nice going, Valerie." said Dash.

"YOU KILLED HIM!" shouted Paulina, running towards Danny.

Mr. Lancer grabbed Valerie's arm. "What did you do, Ms. Grey?"

Valerie shook him off. "Relax. He'll be out for 10 minutes. Geez. I only did that so he'll answer the questions truthfully and do whatever we say.. You think he'd actually answer them or do what we say without being hit with the gun? No. It's worth it, him being out for 10 minutes or so."

Paulina sighed in relief.

Danny twitched.

Sam ran up to Valerie. "Gosh, you're such a...ugh! Give me that!" She took the gun out of Valerie's hands and smashed it on the ground breaking it.

"Why you little bitch!" Valerie growled. She leaped on top of Sam, but got pulled off by Tucker.

"Break it up! Break it up!" he said.

Sam laughed wiping her forehead. "I knew it."

Valerie grumbled.

Danny stirred.

The whole room filled with commotion, but was soon settled by the harsh voice of Mr. Lancer.

"Quiet everyone." he paused, but the noise did not stop. "_Shut up!" _

He smiled. "Good. Now that I have your attention..." He looked around the room, and then walked over to Danny. "We are about to get our questions asked by the one and only ghost kid. But remember, he has been saving us."

Dash laughed. "So what! This is our one chance to see who he really is... his deepest emotions..."

He was cut off my Valerie. "...his weaknesses..."

Sam stomped her foot. "This is juvenile! What kind of selfless hearts do you people have!"

Tucker nodded.

Paulina sighed romantically. "The one that belongs to Danny Phantom," she said dreamingly.

Sam growled. "Why you little..." she took a step toward Paulina, but she was held back by Mr. Lancer.

"No more fighting. Time to take this seriously," he said. Danny mumbled, and then sat up in the cage, looked around, and then fluttered his eyes.

"You freaking drugged him, shit head!" Tucker said.

Valerie glared. "Yes. Now as I was saying..." she turned to Danny. "I'm first..."

Danny's head bobbed around in circles, trying with the little strength he had to lift it up onto his shoulders. "...huh?"

Valerie walked up to the cage with a dark look. "Who are you, ghost?"

Danny opened his mouth, but was cut off by Valerie again.

"Better yet. Show us." she said. "Transform into your real self..."

Sam yelled, "NO! DON'T!"

Danny stood still.

Valerie turned around quickly. "Shut up, Sam."

"No," Sam said.

Valerie turned towards Danny. "Transform."

Sam turned toward her, "DON'T!"

Danny blinked.

Valerie turned around and looked at Kwan. "Cover her mouth, dammit!"

Kwan ran up to Sam, grabbed her, and covered her mouth. Sam struggled. Tucker tried to fight him off, but was picked up by his other hand as he covered his mouth, too. Sam glared at him.

Valerie turned towards Danny. "Now... _transform_, ghost."

Danny lowered his head. "I..."

Valerie shouted. "DO IT NOW!"

Danny fell to his knees, his hands out in front of him, shaking. The force of Valerie's gun was too strong. He had to obey. He let out a cry of pain as his body was forcing him to turn back into Danny Fenton. In a flash he knelt in the cage, no longer Danny Phantom, but his human self.

**Candeh**- OOOOOO... _WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT!_ review or die. :K


	2. Chapter 2

**Candeh- **Ahh! I've been so busy with all my stories I've been preoccupied with my other Danny Phantom stories such as The Ring and With One Roll of the Dice and thinking of other up-coming stories. So.. Be prepared.

**the-gem-of-Azar- **I hope you didn't die yet, because I'm updating! I'm updating! ;p

**crazyyi- **Thank ya. ;)

**Arraina- **Don't you die on me too now.

**xXiamravenXx-** hugs Thank you.

**ChicadeDanny- **Yay!

**Hermione Granger-** I love the username! HP rocks. And yea, I have tons of other stories! You should read and tell me what you think. Also, are you from London? Because if you are, so am I. Cheers to you too, mate.

**HyperAnimeGirl-** Sorry, Valerie doesn't die. Valerie is just a jerk.

**Fuzzytoesocks-** Not weird at all with the truth ray thingy. Look at the Fenton's other inventions. Brilliant and not at all weird.

**KillerAngel-** All the characters cuss. I don't exactly think that makes them out of character.

Sorreh I couldnt answer to all of you.

* * *

** Chapter 2: **

Danny was shaking. So afraid to look up and face Mr. Lancer, Paulina, Dash, Valerie, Kwan, Sam, Tucker, and the whole entire school looking at him. No longer Danny Phantom, but his human self. He waited for the silence to end. He wondered how dumb he must look, sitting down on his knees with his hands open in front of him practically begging for mercy from the people that thought they knew him. He breathed heavily, but that's all. No talking. No voices. No breathing except for his sharp coughs of his own. Everyone sounded so...dead.

He looked up, slowly. The whole school backing away from the glowing green cage and the normal defenseless boy inside that was acting so powerless and useless from the other half. Sam and Tucker struggled free. Sam ran over to Danny but got electrocuted from the cage and winced, stepping back in pain. Tucker caught her just in time.

"Um..." Tucker struggled for words. "This isn't Danny! It's an...imposter! Get out of him you ghost!" His voice was slow like he had been thinking of what to say while he was saying it.

Sam was too startled to nudge his side or tell him to just can it from the shock. She turned to the crowd full of anger and range from staring at Danny... his eyes glassy.

"I can't believe you people!" she screamed. "He took a step towards the crowd, her fists clenched, her eyes flames. "You sick little...ugh! I can't believe you would _do _this! After all Danny Phantom has done for you, you tear him apart! You are so... UGH!" She was pacing, worried, not even processing what she was saying herself.

No one seemed to hear her however. They're minds were full of thoughts of their own...

**Valerie's POV: **

Danny Fenton!

_Danny Fenton!_

"Danny Fenton!" the words that had been screaming in my head escaped through my lips.

Danny dropped his head.

"YOU? You're the one I've been hunting this whole entire time!" I stuttered. I couldn't believe it. "I–you.. I mean.. It's not possible! I can't believe this!"

Danny stood up finally, still looking to the ground. His body crocked and weak, I couldn't stand to look at him. Half of me wanted to die. The other half of me wanted to rewind time. Before this. So Danny wouldn't be exposed.

Danny stuttered. "Yea..." he laughed once or twice, but seeing the looks on other peoples faces, he stopped and said, "It's me..." in a voice that almost broke my heart.

I dropped my gun.

My stupid _stupid _gun.

I walked over to him, like he was an animal and stopped before his cage.

"_How?"_

Of course, Sam took over. "It was an accident... about a year ago..."

"Why don't you let him talk, Sam?" I said not taking my eyes off Danny.

Sam didn't move. She just shut her mouth like she was supposed to.

I guess this was too much of a thrill for her to think of a comeback. The usual Sam would have pounced on me in a second. I was afraid she would after I said it, but she didn't'. And after I said it I felt guilty. _This was all my freaking fault._

Danny sighed. "It _was _an accident. And it was about a year ago. In my parents...ghost zone. It's hard to explain."

Dash pushed through the crowd, his eyes that were full of happiness in himself and his own life were gone. Deep regret shown through now. He looked as if he hadn't gotten sleep for days...his own way of showing shock to the situation...I guess.

"It's okay Danny...explain..." he said, his eyes not leaving Danny's.

**Dash's POV:**

_Explain. _

_It's ok Danny...explain..._

This kid was turning me into some...sympathetic..._loser._

_But I feel so guilty. _

Just yesterday I shoved him into his own locker.

The day before I slammed his lunch tray in the trash can.

Another day I called him names.

And he just..._takes it._ Even when he knew he could pound me into..._pulp..._since he was a _ghost._

Danny looked at me in shock. This was too much for him also. He couldn't speak.

"_Explain."_

He looked to the ground, his hair flowing with him.

"I went into my parents ghost portal... and accidently put my hand on a button or something... it shocked me I guess... and I turned half ghost."

I couldn't believe this.

"Turned?"

_Half ghost?_

His explanation didn't make any sense.

It was nothing we learned in science how you can get molecules rearranged or whatever.

It was almost _impossible. _

_Almost. _

The only thing that looked full on crazy was seeing my teacher look like such a wreck. I guess I shouldn't have said this. I looked like a wreck myself I could tell. Mr. Lancer gasped. The whole heat of things lingered in the room... his air drowning in the atmosphere of things... the atmosphere of it all.

_Danny Fenton._

_Danny Phantom._

_Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom. _

Why wasn't this such a surprise?

I felt the urge to give myself a quick: _duh. _

So I did.

**Mr. Lancer's POV:**

"You...I mean... that's why..." I struggled. My eyes felt like budging and by the look of Danny's scared face, I think they were. "This explains _everything_ about you..."

People gasped at this.

Like this hadn't occurred to them before.

"It...explains... _everything."_

_Had I said that already?_

I don't know.

I don't care.

I can't believe this.

"This explains... you being late to class.."

Gasps.

"You not being there whenever Danny Phantom was around...or should I say whenever you were around... I mean... how...?"

Did they already explain this?

_I don't know! _

"Danny...I..."

I'm sorry.

I didn't say that though.

Actually I don't know if I had or hadn't.

All I knew was, that moment I walked up to the cage and stuck my hands on the bars.

I got shocked quickly.

Danny reached out for me to stop me but I was already shocked.

I knew it won't kill me.

Just knock me out a little with my old age.

_It's good to get away from your problems for a while..._

**Paulina's POV:**

_Oh my gosh._

_Oh my gosh._

_Oh... my... gosh..._

_I hugged Danny Phantom._

_I told Danny Phantom that I wanted to be close to him on that pirate ship._

_But no._

_That was Danny Fenton._

"I..."

Danny seemed embarrassed to see me.

"Hey...Paulina."

He said my name stuttering.

Everyone knew he had a crush on me.

Who didn't?

But I guess its not the point.

He looked to the ground.

"Um.." he said.

Um..? Um...?

Believe it or not I was in the same boat. _What do I say when I'm talking to a ghost?_

"You're half ghost? That's...so...cool."

Danny smiled.

**Danny's POV: **

_You're half ghost? That's so...cool._

It had been all bad until now.

Actually, it had still been bad.

My life was practically over.

Were they ever going to let me out of here?

Mr. Lancer lay on the ground next to me.

My heart pounded and I tried touching him but I got shocked from the cage and I let out a yell that wasn't actually supposed to come out.

I breathed heavily. I figure the best way to approach this situation is to be calm..

Or at least pretend to be.

"Are... are you going to let me out...?"

_Yes?_

_No?_

_Maybe so? _

I was afraid of all answers accept for the first one.

Something pushed through the crowd, laughing.

"No."

* * *

**Candeh- **muahahahahahaha. Who said no! Why did Lancer do that! Why is Dash being so nice? Why aren't Sam and Tucker defending him? Where are they? Are they in the room? What is Danny going to do! Read and review or no new chapter. :K 


	3. Chapter 3

**Candeh**- So so so sorry it took me so long to update. I've been so busy. I just entered quarter 3 of my school, so its hectic. However, I appreciate the emails telling me to update, I don't appreciate the remarks about having a number of reviews to update. I realized I have a lot of reviews and thank you. Love you all. :)

**Chapter 2**

"No."

Danny looked forward, weak, and afraid. He had been fighting this answer the whole time. His eyes shimmered, and finally took the approaching figure into shape. It was Walker, pushing his way through the crowd, smiling.

"Haha. Exposed? Already?" he said.

"Shut up!" Sam yelled. With a flick of his hand, Walker send her flying against the back wall, and land on the floor with a thud. Danny gasped.

"Please!" he panted. "Stop. Please."

Walker just laughed and the kids of Casper High backed up, trying not to make a sound. This was too much for all of them. It couldn't be! A fellow student, nonetheless a quiet and outspoken Danny Fenton, was Danny Phantom. It had seemed so obvious, yet so unfamiliar. Yet, like something they had been missing, and it was so clear, from the beginning.

"Sam!" Tucker rushed towards her lying on the floor and Danny caught a glimpse of a few students trying to make a run for the door.

"NO! No one leaves!" Walker commanded. He send a ray closing the door and the students screamed. Mr. Lancer still lay still on the ground from the shock, every once in a while gasping for air, and then closes his eyes back again like a bad dream.

"Danny, Danny, Danny."

Walker stepped toward him and Danny choked for air.

"Get away from me," Danny warned. His voice came out crackly, but strong enough for emphasis, but only made Walker laugh.

"Get up." Walker said.

"What?"

"Get up."

Danny stood up in the cage, struggling with all his might to even stand. The cage was too small for him too stand all the way up, so he had to duck, and balance on his knees. "Leave them alone."

Walker clapped and the cage vanished and Danny was left on his knees with nothing protecting him. "Fight."

"I cant," Danny managed.

"Fight," Walker said, sending a laser at Danny. Danny struggled, closing his eyes with a sudden bit of pain and then fell to the ground again. He was too weak to even move. "Fight, _Danny Phantom._ Fight. Give the crowd a little show. They want to see what they came here for."

Danny moaned.

"Leave him alone, Mr. Ghost!" Paulina said. She rose towards Danny with her hands outstretched in front of him. She caught Danny falling into her arms and gasped. "Danny, come on, Danny. Danny Phantom..." She whispered the name of the infamous superhero and it struck Danny in that moment that it wasn't him she liked. It was Danny Phantom.

Walker laughed and pushed Paulina aside.

"Take your best shot."

Danny swung a punch at Walker, but missed and fell to the floor again.

"Why don't you change into a ghost, Fenton?" Walker said amused. "Why don't you protect your peers?"

It was just then when the wave of guilt struck the students of Casper High.

Valerie looked at her toes and Dash and Paulina grimaced.

A few of the other students closed thier eyes, reflecting on the memories or pure high school torture. But who could blame them? It was survival or the fittest in highschool.

_Survival of the fittest. _

CASPER HIGH - TWO WEEKS AGO

"_Danny? Oh Danny?" Dash Baxter yelled through the halls of the school. His voice echoed and bounced off the lockers, ringing through the ears of the students innocently walking the threatening bases. "I can find you."_

_It was daily for Danny Fenton. _

_Ever since Jazz had started tutoring him, he had been failing every test. _

_Danny ran as fast as he could through the long ways of the school, panting. He had just gotten back from PE. Another run was not what he needed. _

"_Oh crap." Danny muttered. _

_Dead end. _

_Danny looked up above him to see a towering shadow loom ahead of him._

_He turned around to see the enraged Dash, smiling and laughing. _

"_An eye for an eye, Fenton. A F, for an F._"

_Bam. _

_Talk about an eye for an eye..._

CASPER HIGH - ONE WEEK AGO

_Valerie and Danny walked away from the high school, both of them relieved that the day was over. _

"_Thank GOD!" Valerie said. _

"_Hah." Danny laughed. _

_He had been glad that he and Valerie had became friends. It had been easier than before, when they had been enemies. He had been able to escape Dash for a longer time thanks to her. _

_Sometimes._

"_I feel like I can trust you already, you know, Danny?" Valerie said._

_Danny gulped. "Uh-huh..."_

"_And I'm so sorry that we couldn't be together...like...you know," she laughed. _

_Danny laughed nervously, the voice of Valerie ringing in his ears. _

I feel like I can trust you, you know?

_Trust. _

Trust.

NOW

Walker laughed looking at Danny.

"You're pathetic."

Danny moaned.

"Now fight." he said.

"_And don't let your fans down..." _


	4. Chapter 4

**Candeh- **Now I feel bad about exploding on you guys. :( I'm sorreh. And thank you _so _much for the email, whirlgirl. The apology wasn't needed, so I really appreciate you. Good luck to you too, and everyone, with stories on fanfiction. I will try and update quickly and as best as I can...for you guys. :)

**Chapter 4 (because I labeled the last chapter wrong. :o sorreh)**

The only noises Danny could hear were his own faint breathing and screams from the auditorium. It was like the Twilight Zone - everything going extremely slow and voices in a sort of blend that rang in his ears like wind chimes with a slight stab of intensity.

"Danny?" Walker said, his voice, a lullaby.

_Voices. _

"Danny. Get up."

_Screaming. _

"Don't let them down, Phantom."

_An eye for an eye..._

"Too weak...defenseless...are you just going to sit there and let your friends have no hope?"

_Like I can trust you, you know?_

And then BAM.

A punch made Danny fly back against the hard wall in back of him.

A few gasps came from the ground, and then more screams, and footsteps around the room like scampering students, confused and afraid.

"STOP!" Walker yelled.

Imminently the room silenced and stopped running.

Whispers.

_Whispers. _

Rumors.

_Rumors. _

"I suppose you all want the truth?" Walker said, smiling, his eyes directed towards Danny who was barely standing up, with his hands on his knees like her had just ran for miles.

More whispers.

"I suppose you all want this to be cleared...before Danny Phantom is no more."

Gasps.

Whispers.

"And of course..." he turned to Mr. Lancer, who was still unconscious on the floor and then to the Principal who was looking at Danny in shock. "Danny Fenton won't be attending Casper High anymore..."

**Danny's POV:**

Oh crap.

Oh crap.

_Oh crap._

_This can not be happening. _

_I am _exposed!

_This can't be happening. _

I looked around the room.

Great.

They want answers.

_Answers. _

_What if I can't give them answers? _

Walker will...

Walker would...

Oh this can't be happening.

"So Danny, they want answers, responses to thier questions, replies that you'll be giving them." Walker said.

I sat down because my knees couldn't give

"Get up."

I tried to get up, to obey him, because maybe he'd calm down...

"Get UP!"

A forceful ray came from Walker's fingers and forced me to stand. Ow. Crap...that hurt.

"So...who wants to ask first?" Walker asked.

Looking at the crowd, it seemed nobody wanted answers, but they all had questions.

_Maybe questions are better left unanswered. _

"You." Walker chose Valerie Grey from the crowd.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, and I would have pulled her away, but I couldn't even stand.

"Ask, or he dies now," Walker said.

A hint of smile.

A hint of joy.

Laughter.

Pleasure.

No sympathy.

No respect.

_No hope. _

Valerie stuttered, looking at Walker, and then me.

I could tell she was trying to picture me, picture me as Danny Phantom.

I had to look down.

"I'm..." I said. I was trying to say _I'm sorry, _but I was cut off.

Valerie suddenly look enraged, her eyes widening and her fists clenching.

"Dammit, Danny, how do you expect me to feel sorry for you?" she said, crying now.

Crying.

I made Valerie cry.

"I'm so sorry, Vale-" I said, but she cut me off again.

"Stop it Danny. I told you I could trust you. I freaking told you I could trust you. And you just let me fight you? Try and kill you? Danny, are you stupid?"

"I.."

"Save it Danny. I don't get you."

How could she be like that right now?

"Valerie, please, I'm sorry."

Valerie's face got madder that before and Walker started to laugh and send a ray jolting at me and made me scream for a second. After that, Valerie softened, rushing to my side.

"Oh Danny," she said.

"Ow."

Walker motioned me forward, and I slid over, like I was on a treadmill and he grabbed my shirt. For some reason, this made me change into Danny Phantom, and as if the students didn't already know, a few more gasps escaped the crowd.

Walker smiled. Amused. He turned me back into Danny Fenton, and then back into Danny Phantom and it gave me a headache.

For a few more times he turned me back and forth and was laughing and while I kept changing he said, "See? See how you've been so stupid? Ha! How obvious is this? Hah! It's so obvious and you didn't even know!" His laughter was hysterical and taunting.

He turned me back into Danny Phantom and I sat on the floor with my head in my hands covering my face.

"Now who has a question for Danny Phantom?"

Dash Baxter stepped forward.

"I..I mean..it's not a question, really..." he stammered.

"Go ahead. Ask." Walker said.

"How did you keep it in so long?"

I held this for a moment.

How?

"I don't know..." I said. The question seemed meaningless, like it didn't matter.

Dash stepped aside, walking back to the crowd and then smiling at me. "You can do it, Fenton."

And even though we both knew I was a dead man walking, I couldn't help but smile.

Walker laughed. "Touching. Now are they're any more questions? No...? The let the execution begin. Let Danny Phantom and Danny Fenton, be a thing of the past."


	5. Chapter 5

**Candeh- **Don't feel bad whirlgirl. :) And people, people, please people, (I always wanted to say that..) I will always be ending in cliffys. It adds gusto and keeps you beautiful people reviewing. :-P Hope you enjoyed Chapter 4 and this one:o

**Chapter 5- **

"I've got a question!" A voice raises from the crowd.

_Saved..._Danny thought.

"Ask." Walker said, annoyed. He had hoped there would be none to get Danny Phantom exterminated, but nonetheless, he had wanted to toy around with the boy, make him squirm under pressure and his last minutes of life be tortured and painful and humiliating in front of his peers.

It was Mr. Lancer.

Nobody had noticed he had gotten up, had even waken up to be exact, but he stood tall, and a little wobbling, his thin hair bursting in different directions from the shock, but nobody noticed. Their eyes were all fixed on Danny.

"Daniel..." he said. Danny couldn't help but look down.

_Don't shock yourself again, Lancer, please..._he thought.

"...I guess we should...I mean...how?"

Sam cut him off short, not knowing that he was going to apologize to Danny that very second.

"We told you _how. _It's not our fault you freaked out and almost committed suicide!" she said, arms flailing. At that moment she fell to the ground and Tucker stood over her watching.

"This is all just a dream..." she kept muttering.

Danny could picture her in a straight jacket then and there and was expecting police to come drag her away.

"This is all my fault..." she said.

"No, Sam," Danny said weakly. He was on his knees now, barely crouching over himself, clutching his stomach from the changes he had experienced. "Ah...my head."

"Headaches, Danny?" Walker laughed. "A minor side effect."

Danny breathed hard.

"Any body else have questions or should I get this show on the road?" Walker said, amused.

Jazz Fenton then stepped forward.

"Danny!" she cried.

She had been pushing her way through the crowd the whole time, but had been pushed back by scrambling screaming students.

"Ohmygosh! Are you okay? Danny!" she panicked.

"I'm...I don't know, Jazz," Danny said.

Jazz stood up and faced Walker. "Stop it you big jerk! Don't you have other stuff to be doing then picking on my little brother you friggin freak?"

Walker laughed, ignoring Jazz and with a ray, shot her against the back wall.

Jazz tried to pick herself up, but fell back down.

"Jazz! It's ok, it's fine. Stay there," Danny said.

Jazz wasted no time obeying and sat back down, a silent prayer.

Walker sighed, bored. "Anyone _else?" _

Danny looked around.

_Please... _

Noone moved forward in fear of being shot at.

"Fine then, let the execution begin..." Walker said slowly.

"Wait!" panted Paulina, moving forward instantly. "Danny!"

Walker put his hands on his hips. "Ask."

"Um..." Paulina began. "I..."

"Danny..." she said stuttering.

"Next," Walker said.

"You didn't even let me finish!" Paulina shouted.

"Then ASK!" Walker screamed, annoyed.

"I AM!" Paulina screamed back.

She turned to Danny again. "Um...I ...wanted to ask you..."

"Time's up." Walker said, and with a ray from his finger, lifted Danny by the shirt collar, pulling him towards him.

"Time to fight."

**Danny's POV: **

_Oh shit. _

BAM! I was hit across the face and sent flying into the stage piled by music stands and trumpets.

"Fight," Walker repeated.

"Please, leave them alone..." I said weakly.

"Hah...right," Walker said, throwing me into a pile of students.

I screamed as he picked me up again and pinned me against a wall.

"Do you know what you've DONE to the Ghost Zone, Danny Phantom?"

"I..."

Bam! Another slam against the wall.

"You've RUINED the entire Ghost Zone! Do you know that?" Walker said, his eyes flashing red.

"I didn't mean to...OW!"

_Bam!_

"All the ghosts are now NEVER going to get out! NEVER! They will never rule, thanks to YOU, Danny Phantom. If it weren't for that ghost portal your idiot father had built, then the entire world would me mine right now!" Walker said.

Bang!

"Stop..." I muttered.

_Bang! Bam! Pow! _

"You...piece of crap ruined EVERYTHING. ALL my plans," Walker murmured.

"Please..." I whimpered.

I didn't mean to sound so weak, in front of everyone staring.

Staring.

_Staring. _

_No one had stared so much at me before. _

_Eyes..._

_Eyes..._

I looked around, confused, pinned against the wall and Walker's warm breathing on my face. He was practically grasping for air, to calm down, keep everything in place. In order.

"Walker, I..." I choked.

His arms came around my throat, choking me.

"I- can't - breathe -" I said.

"Good."

I put my hands around his to try and pull them off, but they were too strong.

Just then, a hand came around and hit Walker on the back.

"Sam!" I yelled.

Sam was yelling curse words at Walker's back, hitting it hard with her fists. "Let him go you bastard! Leave him _ALONE_!"

Walker turned around, his eyes still red.

"Aw...how cute. A girlfriend, eh Daniel?" Walker said.

I noticed how Sam didn't argue to this, like it had satisfied her.

"Sam, get away," I said.

"No, Danny, and I'm so sorry," Sam said, still pounding on Walker's back.

I tried to breathe through Walker's grasp, one hand still on my throat.

"For what?" I grasped.

"For, never saying it, Danny. I never said it, ever," Sam said.

The pit of my stomach dropped. "Said what?"

"I...I like you Danny," Sam said stopping.

"I..." I stammered.

"Touching, Danny. Talk to you later." Walker said. And for some reason, I passed out.

"_Danny!" _


	6. Chapter 6

**Candeh**- Ok, since Aud was the one who told me to get the hell off my ass and continue with the story (maybe not in those words), I'm dedicating this chapter to her...plus I luff her. Sorry that it took me so long to update...I've like...run out of ideas.

**Chapter 6- **

Danny woke up, again, in the cage. Every face he had ever known since kindergarten, with the exceptions of Mr. Lancer and the entire highschool staff, were peeking in at him through the bars, with worried expressions, the most unlikely in tears.

In an attempt to run this hand over his face, he looked down to see that his hands were in chains and the same with his legs and one big bar around his neck. He choked, trying to break free for a moment, and stopped grasping for air. Gasps escaped the crowd as their unconvincing hero staggered almost defeated.

Looking around the room, Danny hadn't noticed Walker.

"Where's Walker?" Danny asked, voice croaking. He cleared his throat and Paulina and Sam both looked away from him.

"He left," Tucker said, talking for the first time in a while. "He...said he left you some time. Maybe he forgot something..." he said, but then stopped before saying 'weapons' realizing how gory this sounded.

Danny let out a sigh, and then looked up to see Mr. Lancer in front of him again. He hadn't really got to finish what he had started to say when he raised his hand. Sam had cut him off right before he was about to have a heart to heart. The nonetheless guilt trips the kids and adults were facing pierced them and made them cringe at the moments of the obvious.

Mr. Lancer took a breath, releasing himself from any 'negative energy' everyone could potentially feel flying around the room. Stalling for words, he said, "Can you go through the cage?"

"I don't think so," Danny said, a new weak courage. He tried going intangible, but a sharp shock went through his body, making him shake for a second in pain, and then left him breathing heavy. Mr. Lancer looked pale as a...well, ghost.

"Daniel," Mr. Lancer tried again. "I just wanted to say..."

Danny looked down, away from Mr. Lancer, hoping that it would stop him from stalling, but Mr. Lancer reached his hand through the cage and grabbed his chin violently upward towards him ignoring the painful shocks he was sending through Danny and himself. "Look at me, Danny," he said in a comforting voice.

"Ow," Danny said, closing his eyes from the shocks.

"Sorry, sorry," Mr. Lancer said taking his hand away ashamed. "I just want to say, I'm sorry for... not letting you...I mean, not giving you your full potential." From Mr. Lancer, Danny knew it was the best apology he would ever get from him. Mr. Lancer smiled, and then stood back into the crowd of faces, inevitably unnoticeable.

**Dash's POV: **

_This is all too weird. _

_This is all _way _too weird. _

_I can't believe it's Danny._

_Of all people?_

_Danny?_

_Fenton? _

Deep breaths Baxter, deep breaths.

Ok, I'm going to say something.

I _need _to say something.

_Oh my gosh..._

"Danny," I said. Once it came out I had regretted it. I have nothing to say. All I have is thinking, and I've been told I don't even have that. "I'm also...sorry." I said, rushing my hands through my hair to make sure it didn't seem like I was really sorry, but the truth of it was, I had been. I still am. I think I may be more sorry then Mr. Lancer, and I guess that's saying something.

I had shoved the person who saved me about a thousand times into about a million lockers.

Danny looked from Mr. Lancer to me, and smiled at me too. Paulina rushed towards him, saying something fast in Spanish, that left everyone confused. She was crying, and her mascara and eyeliner was running.

"Oh Danny," she said, which hurt. I had kind of thought, we were together... Paulina and I.

Danny looked over to Paulina, not smiling. His eyes shook Quickly, Danny looked over at Sam, who had just admitted what everyone already knew.

Today is the most dramatic day in all of Casper High.

**Danny's POV: **

Ow.

Ow.

Ow.

My head.

Paulina was over to my left, Sam with her head in her hands at my right, probably regretting what she had just told me. But honestly, it came as a relief.

Sam likes me.

Yes.

_Sam likes me!_

_Yes! _

Paulina cursed something in Spanish. "Oh my gosh, Walker's coming back soon, Danny. He's going to murder you...and us! _La mierda santa que estamos en un apuro_! We got to get out of here! Danny, you can do something right, Danny?"

"Um..." I said, kind of lowering my head.

In that moment, the chains on my hands and legs and throat went loose, and the cage exploded. I stood, looking around confused, face to face with Walker, who was smiling and laughing at me holding my side in pain. I could feel my eyes flash.

**Nobody's POV: (Heh) **

"Get up," Walker said.

Danny got up off his knees, rubbing his wrists. The students of Casper High again backed up against the walls, hiding under tables for protection. Sam and Tucker were called under by the principal, and they reluctantly went.

With a nasty smile, Walker jumped onto Danny, sending him flying back to the opposite wall. Danny slid down, and with the strength he had, attempted a punch, but was blocked by early Walker's fist.

"Fool," Walker laughed.

"Please, Walker," Danny said.

"What?" Walker said. "Let you go?" He laughed. "You're so innocent it's almost annoying." With that, Walker cut a hole in the air, unleashing a black vent-like portal to the ghost zone. It sucked Danny inside, and then himself, and then snapped shut.

The students of Casper High could only hear Danny screaming.

Danny opened his eyes to see Walker standing over him, along with every ghost in the ghost zone, ready and prepared to fight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Candeh- **This time, I decided not to disappoint. ;)

**Chapter 7- **

"Daniel," Walker laughed, "Don't you know that you can't win?"

Danny stood up and clenched his fists, standing before Walker and a million of his enemies not for the first time. He could feel his eyes shine green again and a piece of glistening, white hair fell in his face. "Leave me alone."

"How can we when we have you right in our grasp?" the Ghost Writer said.

"It's almost too easy now," Ember said, laughing and adjusting her guitar to the left side of her body. She looked over at Walker, who shot her a mean, harsh look and Ember sort of coward in her spot, along with the other ghosts in the zone.

"Now, now, Ember," Walker said. "Now, now." He smiled. "We have to do this..." he looked over at Danny who was trying to make his skinny body look tough as he puffed out his chest and tightened his fists. His green eyes watered, and Walker laughed at the fear they were giving off.

It had been pretty much a success.

An easy success.

And it made Walker wonder what took him so long to do such a genius thing.

Danny Phantom's weakness was the people he trusted.

His very fall would be where he least expected it to be.

When his secret was out, his life would be next.

Skulker gave him a glare over in the corner. "Who says your in charge? You just brought him here, we all want him out of the picture just as much as we do." He forwarded his head over to the rest of Danny's enemies crossing there arms with little patience. Danny stood, ready to fight, unmoving, and staring at the ghosts with a nervous look like he could barf.

Walker gave Skulker a smile, and then turned towards Danny, taking a step forward.

"Daniel," he said, in a sort of too-cheery voice, "I guess some people just don't know when to..." and then he spun around and grabbed Skulker by his very skin and shook him, while he finished his sentence in a low, creepy voice, "Shut the _hell _up."

He threw Skulker down on the hard ground of the zone and Skulker, for the first time Danny had seen, got up and scattered over to the rest of the ghosts for protection.

Walker's smile faded. "You are _not _my fellow 'helpers' as to say. You are not my friends."

"We never said we thought you were," Spectra said, scowling.

"And don't," Walker shot back, almost as a threat. "Because if any of you think you're in charge here, you're dead, and I mean that literally. Sure, you can help get rid of the kid," he said nudging his head towards Danny, "but that will be easy. Afterwards, we head up to Amityville Park, and _I _take over. You are all _by standards. Got it?_"

He turned to Danny once again. "Sometimes, people just need to know the rules."

With that, Danny leapt forward giving Walker a punch across the face and sending his flying back into a group of ghosts. They looked up, in shock, and at that, Danny flew, fast, in the opposite direction, as fast as he could.

A million ghosts trailed him.

"I gotta get rid of these guys," Danny said, panting to himself. He tucked as a ray of green came his way, barely missing his head.

He flew towards a bunch of purple floating doors.

Darting behind one, he watched as all the ghosts zipped past him, unnoticing his hiding spot and him in it. He panted, clutching his chest and ran his fingers through his hair. Walker stopped flying as motioned to the ghosts.

"Search the area," he shouted. "Check every damn door."

Danny's mind raced, when a hand clutched him by the shirt.

A familiar voice rang in his ears and a concerned face shown up by his.

"Danny, we've got to get out of here," Vlad said, almost teary eyed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Candeh- **Hm.. What the hell is up with Vlad?

**Chapter 7-**

"Why should I-" Danny began to say, but Vlad cut him off sharply.

"Shhh!" he said, covering his mouth with a hand. He was not in his ghost mode, but his human form and Danny guessed it was for protection. He reared his head out of his hands and took a step back, but then a step forward in fear of Walker finding him there.

Danny whispered low, "Vlad, what do you want?" He noticed Vlad's teary eyes and regretted saying what he said and how he said it to him, even after all he had done to try and split his family apart because of his ridiculous love for Maddie.

Vlad stood up fully and looked around, "You're not safe here, Daniel." He straightened out his tuxedo, as if his concern was just necessary, something he didn't do because he actually cared, just because it was expected or something. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Lets go," Vlad said, motioning forward.

Danny took a step backward again and laughed. "Yea, ok, Vlad."

"I'm serious, Daniel," he said again, looking around for any ghosts that were spying on their conversation. He took a step forward and Danny took another step back. Vlad grabbed Danny's arm and pulled him back behind the hiding spot, just as a ghost flew past them, almost spotting them.

Vlad let go and straightened his tuxedo again, serious faced. "We've got to get out of here, Daniel. I'm not kidding."

Danny looked at him, unsure if this was a trap. He looked behind the hiding spot at the millions of angry ghosts surrounding them and then nodded with a worried expression, wondering if he had just laid himself in the hands of an enemy.

"Let's go," Vlad said, and relevantly, Danny came along. "Wait," Vlad said, looking at Danny. "You shouldn't be walking around like that," he said and Danny looked down at himself in ghost mode and instantly changed back to human form. "It's too obvious."

"Most of them already know its me anyway," Danny said, remembering his friends at school.

Vlad gave him a sorry look, but then motioned him to get going.

"Where are we going?" Danny said.

"To my house..."

"In Wisconsin?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It's the only place where we can really go in and out of the zone without being forced..."

"Oh."

Vlad opened a near by door, which inside led exactly to his house. He stepped in first and then looked at Danny, who came in after. When they were both inside, Danny looked around the familiar place and then sighed.

"So we're just going to hide out here?" Danny said.

"It's better than hiding in there," Vlad said, walking out of the room.

Danny followed. "Where are you going?"

"To check the ghost zone," Vlad said. He sat down on a big red chair and turned on the TV. A bunch of ghosts swarmed past the screen and Walker came up to it. The ghosts gathered around him, wondering what to do next in the search.

Walker's eyes flashed. "He's got to be around here somewhere. Did you idiots check all the doors?" The Box Ghost nodded and a few grumbles came from the crowd. Danny gulped and looked at Vlad whose face, although looking at the screen, was pale.

"He left," Walker hissed. "Into one of these freaking doors." He pointed to the millions of floating purple doors around them and yelled. "Get in them. Every single one! Danny _Phantom _will not get away," he mocked. When the ghosts stumbled about even more he whispered to himself, almost as if looking right into the camera, "_You're mine_."

Danny looked at Vlad who kept looking at the TV screen. "We better keep this on," Vlad suggested. "Just in case."

"I should call my parents," Danny said.

"No!" Vlad yelled, standing up quickly out of his chair.

"Why not?" Danny said, making his voice sound suspicious. He went over to the phone and dialed his number and the phone rang. Vlad rushed over.

"Give me that," he said.

For a moment, they fought over the phone going back from one end to the other until Maddie answered the phone and Vlad answered.

"Well hello, Maddie," he said in a cheery soothing voice.

"Vlad?" Maddie said.

"Yes, it's me," he said, making an angry face at Danny. Danny smiled.

"Well, hi," Maddie said, laughing nervously. "Um...what do you need?"

"Oh!" Vlad said, shocked. "Um.."

Danny grabbed the phone from him and Vlad looked around blankly at Danny.

"Mom," Danny said.

"Danny?"

"Yea, it's me, I'm at Vlad's," he said. Vlad went even paler than before and tried to get the phone out of Danny's grasp, but ended up stumbling past him.

"Why on Earth are you over there?" Maddie said, sounding worried.

"Mom, I have something to tell you," Danny said, hanging his head.

Half the school had figured out his secret, and it wouldn't be long until his parent's found out also.

The two biggest ghost hunters in all of Amity Park, finding out their only son was exactly what they dedicated their lives to kill.

"No, Danny, please. Don't," Vlad said, almost begging with him. Danny looked at Vlad with a pitiful look at kept talking.

"Mom, I'm a-" and a million ghosts burst threw the front door and the phone went dead.

Walker's face lit up. "Surprise."

Danny and Vlad both turned into ghost form and Vlad jumped in front of Danny. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"You're...protecting me?" he said. "I've beat you a thousand times, I don't need any help, thanks."

But Vlad stayed in front.

"Vlad?" Walker said. "Protecting Daniel? Touching, yet again." He grabbed Vlad by the cape and put his face in his. "You're meddling in someone else's business. We know you have a little heart to heart with his mother, but that's no reason you can't help us kill him right?" When Vlad didn't say anything, Walker's face went angry. He picked him up higher and sent jolts threw his body. Danny lunged at him, but Walker forced him away.

Vlad groaned and turned towards Danny on his knees, 'Danny," he struggled. "Run."

And Danny ran.


	9. Chapter 9

**Candeh- **Wow, I love getting reviews. If I get more, of course, I'll keep updating. :) It's simple really, but since I love you guys so much and your crazy reviews, I'll keep updating... this time...full of ideas...sort of kind of... ;) wink And no, this is NOT a vladxdanny story...because I'm not really into those kind of...stories if you know what I mean. I just like Vlad cause I think his life is sort of the classic sob story. :o Haha.

**Chapter 9-**

Danny was blocked at the front of the door by Walker, who laughed. A few feet away, he saw Vlad get up from the corner of his eye and start to run toward him, but was pulled back by the Box Ghost who was looking mysteriously evil.

"You people," Walker said. "Never play by the rules."

Danny took a step back towards the other ghosts that surrounded him and bumped into Skulker who picked him up by his arm. "You're ours, ghost child."

Danny struggled to get free and when he did, the stood in the middle of two dead ends.

"What?" Danny said, angry. "What the hell do you want? I didn't do anything!"

Walker laughed and the rest of the ghosts laughed a few seconds afterward. "It doesn't matter. Nobody really needs a purpose to die, Fenton." As Walker thought about this, he added, "But you - on the other hand - did do something."

Danny panted, tried to punch Walker, but Walker disappeared and reappeared behind him, pushing him and knocking him into a bookcase by surprise.

"You, Danny Phantom, broke out of my prison," he said.

Walker sent Danny flying against Vlad's back wall, destroying it and letting smoke come up. Vlad seemed to wince looking at his house almost in ruins.

Danny tried to get up, and dodged a ray Walker sent flashing towards him. The other ghosts stood still, smiling.

"_You, _Danny Phantom, are the one always stopping me from doing anything."

Danny served to the right, making Walker barely miss his stomach from a glowing green punch.

"Even though, phantom, I rarely know why you even try."

Danny went intangible and went through one of the walls, but Walker seemed to grab him anyways, and Danny went back into his regular mode. Walker took a familiar _belt _off a desk and buckled it onto Danny, not letting him change back into a ghost and Danny could hear Vlad curse in the corner, saying something about not picking that up earlier this morning.

"There are so many people who hate Danny Phantom," Walker said, taunting. "There are so many people who don't believe you are even on they're very side. There are so many people who think that you, yourself, bring so much misery to your town and yet you just keep on freaking fighting."

Walker sent a few surges jolting through Danny's body, and Danny let out a long scream and fell to the floor, steaming.

**Vlad POV: **

Oh shit.

Oh shit.

Maddie is going to _kill _me when she finds her son burnt to a crisp.

I don't know why Danny hadn't really trusted me at first...

Ugh. This isn't the time.

"Walker!" I yelled. I could bargain. I could bring Danny home to Maddie and look like a true hero. Yes. Perfect. "Um...wait."

"Vlad Masters," Walker said, his voice seeming more powerful, and yet, he knew so little.

I struggled away from that idiot Box Ghost and Skulker who were holding my arms back and twisting them around back behind me. They let go.

Walker took a step towards me and from behind him, I could see Danny's eyebrows go up like, _what the hell are you doing?_

Daniel, you are so unknowing. A kid of only fourteen and yet he thinks he can do everything by themselves and yet again, all teenagers think they are so invisible. So moral and right. And yet, even though I hate to admit it, he's probably raised in such a careful family.

"Let me show you around?" I said.

Oh that was pathetic.

"Show me around?" Walker said, suspecting, a smile on his face and his hat shadowing his head making his pale white skin almost match Danny's and mine. Danny stood up in the corner, trying to get the belt off. I should have put that away, dammit. Maddie's going to notice that. Then again, I was never hired to babysit. "What a clever, attempt."

"Attempt?" my voice quaked.

"Yes," Walker said. "It's not unknown Plasimus, that you not only have the most annoying love for," he looked at Danny, "the kid's mother, but she's also married. It's so tragic. And you yet have the heart to try to protect him, when you yourself want him dead..."

"Dead?" I said.

"Do not tell me you haven't tried, Plasimus," Walker raised an eyebrow. I hate his voice.

I tried to talk back in the same, annoying smooth tone, but Skulker punch me in the back and it freaking hurt like hell. "Ok, I've tried."

"Of course," Walker said. "So what is your explanation for this...almost _heroic..._" he laughed. "gesture...if I should even call it that."

"I'm not protecting him," I lied. Maybe if I denied it...covered it up. "I'm...leading him to you."

Danny gave me an angry glare and the ghosts behind me stepped back, thinking that I may have been on their side, one of them, and I felt a stab of guilt because Danny looked at me with such hate...not that this was the first time.

I gave Daniel a wink to tell him I was just stalling, but Walker noticed and grabbed my shirt. Danny lunged at him.

"Let go!" Danny shouted.

"Daniel," I yelled at him. "Get back there!"

"Let go, Walker," Danny said. "You freaking coward."

Walker grabbed Danny's shirt and I let out a sigh. "You've gotten us nowhere."

Danny looked at me, annoyed. "I'm not going to sit there and just watch as they kill you and then me."

"Of course," I said.

Walker shook us.

And then Danny was in the cage again. Maddie's going to freak.

**Danny's POV: **

Dammit, again. I looked around, but the only ghost that was there was me, and Vlad was hanging from the door on a clothes hanger, looking disturbingly upset that he was too weak to admit anything, and too self conscious and conceded too admit he was weak. Walker crept toward me, almost sliding over.

**But **Vlad trying to protect me.

Ah, this is weird.

Walker laughed. "Too weak." He looked at Vlad. "And too young _and _weak," he looked at me. "Vlad almost qualifies, but he'd have to reverse time a few hundred or thousand years or so." And Vlad looked resentful. He kicked around for a while, and then stopped, convinced.

"What now?" I said.

"What now?" Walker laughed. He unhooked Vlad and then threw him against the cage which made it shock me. "You both die in front of an audience."


	10. Chapter 10

**Candeh- **Chapter 10 is already up... ugh. I may be rushing this but only because I love my reviewers. :)

**Chapter 10-**

In another reluctant change of places, Danny and Vlad awoke at the top of the highest building all of Amity Park. Walker stood before them, the other ghosts behind them, Vlad and Danny in their normal state, which relieved them both for a while.

Walker turned towards them.

"You best put on a show," he said.

Danny tried to get up, but it was just now that he noticed that him and Vlad were tied together around a thick, towering poll hurdling about a thousand of so feet to the ground. Danny had to remember what building they were on, and why anyone would make a building so high.

"The audience can't be disappointed when they come to see..." Walker laughed. "Because of course...it's almost like they paid for the tickets." Vlad gave him a confused look, and then titled his head downward seeing cars buzzing below them and the tops of trees swaying with the heavy wind; the rain barely starting where they were and landing somewhere scattered on the concrete. Vlad held back from barfing.

"Now, now, Danny," Walker said, grabbing Danny by the chin. "I really do want to make it all up to you."

Danny chocked, "What?" From the corner of his eye he saw Vlad try to sink through it, but he got shocked and his white hair stuck up in all different places and his eyes sent red cracks through them. Danny gulped.

"Now that the whole school knows, what about the whole town?" Walker let out a hand showing them all of Amity Park, the audience. "I don't think I should really call for a curtain call, nor even a rain check..."

"You have something with analogies..." Vlad muttered and Walker got red and kneed him in the back. Danny turned around to face his own house.

"Please don't let my parents find out," he said. He couldn't believe it either. He was begging to his enemy, something he had rarely ever done, and he knew it wouldn't even work. Walker laughed and Danny struggled to try and loosen the ropes again, and panted, wearing himself out.

"No, you're parents are going to know," Walker said. "Bad enough that fat, old, poetry teacher of yours had to. Looks like your school days are over? It's okay, Daniel, I hear many people can be successful with a freshman education. Of course, none of them were actually ghosts," he smiled. "Except the Box Ghost."

**Maddie's POV:**

"Jack!" I yelled. "Jack! Danny's at _Vlad's!" _

Raindrops pounded against the window and made my voice almost audible, but Jack came in almost instantly, coming to my side. "What?" he said. "Oh! He's sure to be safe with Vladdie..." Jack said, seriously and I gave him a sharp look.

"He sounded distressed over the phone, Jack," I said, remembering his whimpered voice. "Oh, Jack," I said, barring my face in his orange jumpsuit. Jack hugged me back, seeing my concern. It was just that moment our TV screen turned on, showing Vlad and Danny tied up to a pole. From the looks of it, every TV screen from my windows, turned to that too.

"OH MY FREAKING GOSH," Jazz said, instantly yelling from her upstairs bedroom with her own TV, "DANNY'S ON TV!"

**Danny's POV: **

I could almost sense myself being turned on in every channel, it was weird. Vlad turned to me, like an invisible bright light was on him too, broadcasting us to the world, and squinted his eyes.

This is bad.

From the very top of the building a soft muzzle of confused voices escaped the town.

I looked at my house, Jack and Maddie ran out, looking everywhere for the building they had seen on TV, spotted to specs on the top, and a million other ghosts, and screamed. At that, everyone inside thier houses came out to see us.

"Danny Fenton, age fourteen, frequent student attending Casper Highschool," Walker started, pointing to me, "Vlad Masters, age," he stalled, "180," and Vlad got red in the face at the lie, "well-known million-are and owner of the biggest estate in Wisconsin," he stopped, letting it sink it.

I could see my mom run inside the house, leaving my dad on his knees on the ground, and get a ecto ray out from the house and try to fire it at Walker. When it failed, Walker glared at her, and put a ghost shield around the building. No one was coming in. No one was coming out.

Vlad gave me a look, and then looked at Maddie, knowing his secret was about to be exposed, and hung his head low, almost teary eyed again.

In the ghost zone, when he came for me, I could see why he had been crying now. All along I think he knew it was going to get out if he had come for me, and if he didn't, Maddie would be heartbroken over the loss of her own son. In the process, Vlad lost both.

"You are looking at one of the greatest superheroes of all time," he pointed to me and laughed sarcastically, "and one of the...other ones," he gestured to Vlad, to seemed to take no offense now that it was over. "Both," he paused, stepping closer to us, but remembering to never turn your back in a performance, "Well, let's just see for ourselves."

He took his hands and instantly changed Vlad into ghost form. Vlad really didn't seem to care, however. He kept his head hung low, so Walker could tell he was teary eyed, and so I couldn't see his face. Gasps escaped the people below and they ran about, screaming for their kids, but Walker silenced them, changing me into ghost form, also.

I kept my face at the 'camera'.

The performance had begun.


	11. Chapter 11

**Candeh- **I realize I'm updating faster than usual, but that don't mean you ain't gotta review. So review or else the story ends- cliffhanger or not. Permanently. :) Aw, aren't I just so sweet:) But I really mean it. :( I've been getting like... six reviews or so a chapter. It's...sniff heartbreaking.

**Chapter 11- **

As the people of Amity Park saw their hero up on the highest building in town, they ran frantically in the streets, gasping and screaming for their lives. For now they had known, they're meaningless lives were pretty much ending. They had no Danny Phantom to save them from the white ghost in the hat on the top of the building. They had no hope of Danny Phantom coming to save them now. They had rejected him, and all of these thoughts were rushing through their heads and they rushed themselves through the roads.

Maddie and Jack Fenton stared in a trance-like stare up at the building, the ghost they had tried to attack for almost months...or maybe years. And he was their son. It came like shock to both of them, and Maddie, feeling her face get tired and her eyes get watery, took a step forward, unbelieving for a moment or two and then falling to her knees in credence.

Up above on the building top, Danny Fenton looked down at the spec faces of his parents. Vlad Masters hadn't dared. He hadn't dared look at anyone, not even the people he had never seen, and the people who had never seen him - except only on rich magazines. And then it hit him. _Everyone _knew him. He was ruined.

Danny Fenton stared into disbelief. Now that everyone in his school knew and his friends and family knew, it was over. He wondered if he would even go to school anymore and he instantly longed to be back in class with Mr. Lancer talking about something from a text book. Just as he was thinking about school, from the top of the building he could see the millions of students pour out of Casper High and stare up at the building along with the townspeople with thier minds racing.

He clutched his fists.

**Sam's POV: **

Oh my.

Shit.

"Tucker we've got to do something," I said, my hands up in the air. "Look at him! He's hopeless!" But Tucker stood standing still with his arms at his sides and his head in the upward direction of the building.

"Sam," he said, after a while. "Danny's got to do something."

"What?" I said, angrily, shaking him, tears pouring down my face like they never had before, making my mascara and eyeliner run like crazy; I could feel it slipping down my face and cheeks. Tucker stared back at me, face unaffected by my disastrous appearance, almost hypnotized by the whole situation.

"We can't do anything, Sam."

"What the hell do you mean, Tucker?" I screamed, pushing him away and this is when his face gets red and tears spring from his eyes too and he stomps his feet like a kid.

"Because Sam!" he yells, and it makes me take a step back because he's coming toward me with clenched fists. "What do you suggest we do! Fly up to the building Sam and go get him? Or you know, we could always like - kill Walker with our powers!"

I am stricken, I've been slapped.

"The Fenton's have stuff we can use..." I said, almost too weak and whispered.

And Tucker comes toward me and grabs my hands. "And kill Danny in the process?"

"You think I'd let Danny die?"

"He's dead, Sam." Tucker said, and then he sat down against a wall and carried his head in his hands, clutching his knees to his head. "We all are."

**Jack's POV:**

My son's a ghost!

"My son's a ghost!"

"Jack this is horrible!" Maddie yelled.

Jazz came running out the front door looking up and then at us.

"Jazz, this is horrible!" Maddie repeated, looking at her daughter in tears. "Danny's a ghost!"

When Jazz kept looking at my wife with an unaffected expression, we both realized at that moment that she had known for a long time.

"You knew?" I asked, holding her shoulder lightly.

"A while," Jazz says, in a mad tone.

I look at her in confusion and then Maddie runs up to Jazz. "It's horrible," she says.

And Jazz gets angry and pulls away, defensive. "It's not horrible!" she yells. "Why is it so horrible!" she takes a step back from us, like we're awful people and continues talking. "He saves us." And then she's crying and laughing and saying, "He _saves _us. Your son and my brother, the hero."

Before either of us can stop her, she runs into the streets, crying.

I look at Maddie. She's realized, and so have I.

My wife looks up at Danny, our beautiful boy, and notices Vlad up there with Danny, and she gasps and puts her hands up to her mouth.

In a second, she runs up to the front of the building and I watch as my wife screams at the top of her lungs, seeing Walker laughing and picking Danny up by the arm and throw him against the edge of the wall of the building.

Walker picks him up again and knees Vlad in the back again, sending him falling on his stomach, his hands still tied behind him. In a flash, Walker flies off with Danny in his arms, into nowhere either of us can see.

"Vlad Masters!" she yells, crying and waving her hands frantically. "Save my son!"

And Vlad looks up for the first time.


	12. Chapter 12

**Candeh- **Celestial Moonshine, do not write me long complaints as a review... if this is really to express one's self on a story, then grammar errors shouldn't matter. I don't appreciate it and if you're going to do that, than I suggest you don't review, I can do without it. I appreciate all of my reviewers, and I really didn't mean that six reviews wasn't enough. hug love ya. ;) Please keep reviewing though. By the way, if anyone has AIM, you guys can talk to me there at **PSHH wow x** .

**Chapter 12-**

Walker flew into a vacant building and threw Danny against a brick wall. The building looked as if it has been burnt down and then rebuilt, then maybe burnt down again, and the construction workers had tried to build it back, but gave up from the rusted poles and burnt walls. Danny landed with a thud and bits of the wall fell on his head leaving him in a chalky dust.

"Get up," Walker said, but Danny didn't move, he just stared at Walker with big eyes questioning what had just happened.

"Where's Vlad?" he managed to mutter, suddenly concerned over Vlad's parent-like gesture. At that, he thought of his parents, his mother's face and what his dad was thinking. He stayed sitting, his eyes flashing green in anger. He got up.

"He'll get his end soon, don't worry," Walker smiled, stepping forward and punching Danny across the face. Danny took a step back from the blow and then attempted a punch at Walker which sent him flying into the opposite wall him, where some more chalk from the roof fell from the ceiling.

Walker got up, angry faced. "You just can't play by the rules, Fenton."

As he walked forward, Danny sent a green jolt through him, and Walker got up again, flashing.

"You little," Walker started, grabbing him up by the hair. Danny winced. "Freak."

Danny tried to kick Walker from where he was holding him, his arms tightly around his hair so that it wouldn't rip off by Walker's grip. The kick missed and Walker shook him violently, making Danny feel like he was on a broken carnival ride.

"You're over," Walker whispered closely in Danny's ear. "There's no reason to fight back."

Danny took a punch at Walker's face, but Walker pulled Danny's body away so it missed by a foot or so. Danny's fists clenched.

"You're dead, and you continue to fight," Walker teased. "It's almost resentful of such little power. You're too weak, you're too fallible," Walker sneered. He let go of his hair and grabbed his wrists and shook him again. Finally, Danny struggled free.

"And yet you fight back," Walker continued.

"That doesn't mean you don't have to be undefeated," Danny said, sweating.

Walker's eyes darkened.

Danny panted, tears coming to his eyes again in remembrance of the events, "I hate you."

"What a child thing to say," Walker laughed.

**Sam's POV:**

If Tucker isn't going to do anything, I am.

I've got to get to that building fast.

I ran up to a panicking lady, one of millions of people frantic in the streets, screaming. "Hello?"

She turned to look at me and grabbed my hand. "Where is your mother? Are you lost!"

"No, no!" I tried to pry my hand out from hers, but her grip was too tight. "Let go!"

The lady turned to me in confusion, looking around, paranoid. "I've got to get out of here."

"You can, you can," I said, annoyed. "Just tell me, did you see where that big white ghost took Danny Phantom?" I screamed over screeches.

"Oh, my," the lady said, clutching her heart. Her eyes suddenly went into hypnotized mode and she spoke softly, as you would in an apology. "Bless him."

And she ran away.

"Wait!" I called after her, but she was gone.

I ran up to a man in an office suit, probably on his way to work before this had happened, and grabbed him by the arm. "Sir! Sir! Excuse me! Stop!"

He turned around, eyes wide. "Where's Danny Phantom?" he yelled at me. "Where? We need Danny Phantom!" He was crying, tears forming in his eyes, knowing that the end of the world was over, and then shook me as if I had the answer.

"I don't know! Do you know which way he went? He's my friend! I know him!" I said.

"You knew him? He's a kid, he's just a kid," he said, whipping his eyes. "I knew his parents, his father..." he searched for the name. "Fenton, Jack Fenton. Danny Phantom's his son." He started running away again, but when I called after him, he turned around.

"He went that way, kid." He pointed left of where we were standing, to an old run down building that had been burnt in a fire about two years ago. I ran away, thanking him quickly and from the corner of my eye, he got in his car, and drove the only way out of town.

Running towards the building, I pushed aside pieces of wood and brought myself to the front of the building. I could hear pounding from inside and the building throbbed. I took a step in, but somebody held me back.

**Paulina's POV: **

"Sam," I said.

Sam turned around, surprised.

"Paulina?" she said, confused. "I have to go. Danny's in there, and I think he's hurt."

I was surprised she was talking to me in a level tone, not at all like we had ever talked before, and then I thought of Danny being thrown against walls by that mean ghost cowboy and I snapped myself back into reality.

"I know," I said, feeling myself crying. I could barely puff out the last sentence without choking on tears that leaked into my mouth. "I'm coming with you."

Sam stared at me for a moment, looking at me with conducement, and then she took my hand, pulling me inside the building.

For a moment, we walked up croaked stairs that we almost fell through. They squeaked as we stepped on them, and when I tried to talk, to ask her about Danny, she turned around and hushed me up, in a sort of harsh tone.

She whispered, seeing my face, "Walker can hear us, Paulina. We don't want Danny hurt."

And I nodded, looking down. "Sam," I said, not bothering to whisper.

And Sam looked at me, hushing me again and this time I whispered. "Sam, I'm so sorry."

**Vlad's POV: **

I stood up on the building, looking down at Maddie and Jack looking up at me. I changed back into human form, and the ropes fell off me, landing in a pile of the floor. I ran down the building and stood at the door of it, deciding whether of not I should approach Maddie and Jack.

I still needed to get Danny.

"Vlad," Jack said, coming up to me, and Maddie rushed o his side. "Please, go get our son."

I nodded, not looking at Maddie.

"Vlad," she said, crying and panting, "Please go get Danny."

And I nodded again, tears coming to my eyes at the sight of both of them.

I didn't feel myself.

"Maddie," I started to say. "Jack," I said.

But they both stopped me at the same time. Jack smiled. "You've been my best friend, and you still are." And Maddie hugged him, and it felt like she stabbed me in the stomach. I nodded at Jack and smiled.

"I'm so sorry Jack," I said.

Maddie looked at me, and I finally looked at her and then looked back down again. Quickly, she ran up to me and gave me a hug, and I hugged her back tight. We stood there for a while, until we all heard the building shake and Maddie gasped.

"Vlad, please," Jack said, reminding me and I nodded quickly, turning invisible and appearing in front of the building.

"Oh Daniel," I whispered.


	13. Chapter 13

**Candeh- **I appreciate the people who've IMed me. :D Hope you like the new chapter! (And for those of you that are wondering, I _do _like Vlad. But I like Danny more, and always will, and _still _think they should make a PG-13 version of Danny in spandex. I'll be waiting, Nickelodeon - and the other channels I watch that would actually, maybe consider it. ;)

**Chapter 13-**

"Vlad?" Sam said, startled to see Vlad behind her, climbing and stumbling through the dark and up the stairs to Danny. "What do _you _want?" Of course, Sam had already known it was him all along, but Paulina looked at Vlad as if he were to attack any moment. When Vlad caught her eye, she looked away, as if she wasn't looking at him at all.

"I'm getting Daniel," Vlad said, pushing aside. "He's in trouble, I-" and Sam cut him off.

"You?" she asked, laughing through mascara tears. "Saving Danny?"

"Yes," Vlad said, stopping. "Are you coming?"

Sam looked at Vlad, smiled quickly, reassuring herself that he was truthful. From the look in his worried eyes, and almost looking inside his head, she could tell he was, and ran up after him, turning him around by the shoulder, making him wobble a little. "We could use you."

Vlad smiled, eyes bright, and Paulina finally spoke up, "You're the guy on my dad's magazines!" And Vlad's face went pale. He knew everyone had known him, and now he knew that everyone had known he was a ghost. He looked away, scared at what she would say.

"We should get going," he said, running up the stairs again, his mind racing over Maddie and Jack, and Danny, and then people of Amity Park knowing about him...and Danny. He sighed, shaking his head to himself, running at constant speed even though Paulina kept talking.

Her voice was quaking because of the crying, but excited. "You're a ghost."

Vlad didn't say anything. Sam turned around, shooting Paulina a begging look for her to just shut the hell up, but in a nice way; she had apologized. Paulina looked down, realizing how this sounded, and then at the back of Vlad running up the stairs.

"You're like Danny," Paulina said. "We've all seen you...you're not exactly a hero."

She raised an eyebrow and Vlad turned around sharp. "If you don't mind, Daniel is up there and we should get going, but if--"

Paulina cut him off, "And if you're like Danny, Mr. Masters," she kept her face stony, looking a few times at the stairs below her so she wouldn't fall right through. "Amity Park needs you." She listened for a second, thinking of something meaningful to say, and then sighed. She had obviously thought of something, but then again, it wasn't as meaningful as she had hoped it would sound. She nudged Sam, hoping to think of a better one.

Sam looked at Vlad, all three of them teary eyed. "Can you hear that?"

Vlad listened, not taking his eyes off them, "You're stalling," he said, a part of him feeling that if she had said something meaningful, it would ruin himself and he wouldn't know who he was anymore.

"It's Amity Park," Sam said.

Vlad wanted to cover his ears. He just wanted to get Danny out and save him. He wanted to go back to Maddie and Jack. He wanted to go home, sit in his chair, and be featured on the cover of magazines with no one knowing he was anyone else but Vlad _Masters. Not Plasimus._

"And the wind," Sam said. "It's almost calling your names. Danny's too."

Paulina sighed. "That sucked."

And Sam laughed, mind suddenly on Danny again, running up the stairs past Vlad.

Vlad stood on the step, blank faced, and then ran up the stairs. He wasn't himself anymore.

**Danny's POV: **

"Vlad? Sam? Paulina?"

"_Danny!" _Sam said, coming over to hug me lying on the floor. She pushed aside Walker who was standing over me, fists clenched. He smiled, seeing Sam's gratitude for me, and laughed, not bothering to push her back aside.

Paulina ran to the other side of me.

Vlad stood in the doorway.

I got up, and Sam and Paulina got off me, grabbing me by the hands. I grabbed theirs, looking at Sam and smiling, looking at her eyes, and then at Vlad.

"Go," Vlad said.

"No," I said.

"GO!"

"NO,"I shot back.

Vlad looked at me, shocked I had yelled at then doubled himself, without transforming into his ghost form. He spread out, eight Vlads in the entire room. The all walked towards Walker, who looked confused by this, and then smiled.

"Clever, Plasimus."

Vlad shot a long green laser at Walker who shot back against the wall. He got up quickly recovering, and expressed a resentful look. He looked at me. I fired another ray at him, and he fell back again. Walker got up, and the Vlads went back into one.

"You ruined me," Vlad said.

"Well your back to your old self," Walker said, laughing.

Vlad shot a blast of red laser at him, and it sent it through the wall. Vlad stepped through the hole it made, and I did too, still holding the hands of Paulina and Sam.

"You ruined Danny," Vlad said.

Walker laughed. "I know, it's just terrible."

"You ruined Amity Park," Vlad said.

I looked at him, shooting multiple blasts at Walker who was flying back against the wall, startled. I went up to Walker and punched him a few times and he looked at me, disbelieving. "Get off me," he panted, lifting me up.

"Sam, Paulina," I said. "Go downstairs and get the thermos."

"You don't have it with you?" Sam said, shocked.

I looked embarrassed for a second, hoping that that it would even work. The thermos has sucked in bigger things than Walker, but nothing this complicated. I sighed. "Paulina, go with her."

Paulina nodded and ran out of the room. Sam stalled for a second, and then ran out, head in her hands. I turned to Walker.

"A thermos?" Walker said. "You think you can stop me with a thermos?"

He laughed and looked at Vlad, who was standing by me, looking at himself in a broken mirror.

"What's wrong, Masters?" Walker said.

I swung a punch at Walker, but missed, and another, but missed again and then a ray, but it bounced off Walker sending me flying back through the hole into another room.

"How long you look in that mirror, Plasimus," Walker laughed. "It's still going to be you."

Vlad looked in the mirror longer, and then at Vlad, laughing. Vlad was laughing hysterically, his hands rushing through his hair, and both Walker and I stood back, shockingly.

"Vlad?" I said, "Are you okay?"

"Okay?" Vlad said. He stepped towards me, grabbing my shoulders, pulling me towards the mirror. "Danny, I'm over."

He kept laughing, and then Walker laughed. I looked in the mirror.

Vlad looked at his reflection, laughing, and then at Walker, laughing. "I'm over."

It was then I knew it _was _over. But whenever there's an ending, there's a beginning.

Although Vlad couldn't hide it, I knew that I couldn't hide who I really was, and Amity Park was in trouble. Danny Phantom, Danny Fenton. Me. I couldn't believe all these years I had been so afraid of everything. Of my life. Or my school. Of my parents. Of me. I had stopped running, intentionally or not, and there was still a chance that Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom could try to make it better. I closed my eyes, looking at Walker.

"No, Vlad," I said, my eyes flashing. I pushed him away, shrugging off my reflection and looking at Walker. "But he is." Danny Phantom's back.


	14. Chapter 14

**Candeh- **Haha, I got an email with someone asking me if that last chapter was the last chapter of the story. So to answer that email, no, it's not, and I'm glad it's not. There's so much to be answered. What happens to the dirty bastard Walker, and the heroic, but sort of crazed guy Vlad, and the hot hero Danny? OMG! Only Candeh shall know. P.S. I like getting your IMs. :o **And this chapter is also not the end of the story.**

**Chapter 14-**

Danny sent Walker flying back against the brick wall. He punched him in the face and then in the stomach. Out of pure confusion, Walker took the punches, not knowing how to react or what to do. His eyes bleakly shown through an outraged facial expression, but his eyes shown fear in which he tried to hide. When Danny stopped, he panted whipping sweat from his forehead. He looked over at Vlad, who was running fingers through his hair and looking as if he wanted to pull it out. He grabbed the mirror, moaning.

"Vlad," Danny panted. "I could use some help."

At that instant, Sam and Paulina came running through the door with the thermos. Sam threw it at Danny, and Danny caught it, Walker standing up, uncaring.

"Suck me in, punk," he said. "But you're still through."

He got up off the ground, scratches across his face and knees and hands, and attempted to grab the thermos. For a second, Danny looked at Vlad to see if he was going to come and help him, but Vlad didn't move. He stood staring at himself in the mirror and Sam and Paulina ran over to Danny.

"Vlad," Danny, struggled, Walker's hands hooked in his. "Help."

Vlad moaned in the mirror, transfixed. "Oh Daniel," he said. "You should have seen your mother's face."

"Ow," Danny said, Walker sending surges through his body. Danny tried to do the same, but nothing happened. Walker laughed. Instantly, Sam dove forward and grabbed the thermos, putting the lid back on and then opening it again. She pointed it at Walker, giving Vlad a compassionate look, and Walker grabbed Danny by the throat.

"You're coming in with me, you piece of shit."

Danny threw Walker off him, just in time, and Walker grinded his nails on the floor, attempting to scratch himself free, but he was swallowed into the thermos, and Sam closed it with a small 'pop'.

She looked at Danny, rubbing his neck from Walker's grip.

"Oh Danny!" Paulina said, running up to him and hugging him. Sam stood and walked over to Vlad, still looking at himself in the mirror and sulking.

"Sam," Danny said. "Thanks," he smiled.

Sam put her arm around Vlad and smiled at Danny.

And Danny couldn't take his eyes off her.

**Vlad's POV: **

Danny and Sam and Paulina are each holding me up by the arm, and I struggle, but I can't break free. Danny looks at me, worried, and I look away, thinking of how much he looks like his parents. His parents. His mom.

When they get to the end of the building, to the place where we finally get outside, where millions of people and familiar faces can see, I stop and get loose.

"I'm not going out there."

"Yes," Paulina says, annoyed. "You are."

"No," I yell at her, and she backs down. "I'm not."

Danny looks at Sam. "What?" I say. "What? You're going, Daniel?"

Danny looks at the floor and Sam sighs. "What else are you going to do?" she says. "You beat Walker. What else is there to do? Hide out here forever?"

I look at Danny. His eyes are accusing, and when I look down at the floor, two feet are in front of me. I look up, and Maddie and Jack face me.

I wipe blood off my forehead and patted my shirt and pants to make sure there was no dust lingering on them, but when I was done, I knew I still looked horrible. Maddie looked at me, and smiled. Then, she leapt up on me, and hugged me, her arms almost choking around my neck.

**Danny's POV: **

My mom and dad are standing in front of me, smiling. I don't really know if this is a good or a bad thing, but their eyes are happy, with a hint of sadness. I look as bad as Vlad does. I know I have blood all over me, and I know I'm still in ghost form, so I take the opportunity to change back to human, where I still look just as much as a wreck.

Jazz comes running in after them, pushing them aside.

Vlad takes a step back.

"Danny," Jazz says, hugging me. "Oh my gosh, you're alright."

My mom is crying and my dad is hugging her tight and she's hugging him back, looking at me like she does when I come home late from school, and when I cleaned the house for no reason whatsoever. I choke a smile.

When Jazz finally lets go, my mom puts her arms around me and cries on my shoulder.

Sam comes over and comforts her and I step back to Vlad.

"Mom," I say. "I'm sorry."

"No, Danny, don't say that," my dad says. "I'm so sorry," he says, smiling. "You're so grown up." And when he says this I can almost feel Vlad's urges to say something like 'what does that have to do with anything' but he doesn't and when I look up at him, he's smiling.


End file.
